They stand out from the crowd with their pinotage and chenin blanc (usually just call it chenin). They also produce typical New World chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling, merlot, shiraz, and cabernet sauvignon. Some of the SB is similiar to Kiwi SB, but others are as oaky as other New World Sauvignon Blanc.

In South Africa, the traditional term for Chenin Blanc is "Steen", but this is changing on labels to the more internationally familiar "Chenin Blanc". It can run from insipid to very good (Kanu is a nice, inexpensive and widely available example), but it is losing some ground to the better known international varieties that IK mentioned.

It's a government problem in Zimbabwe, and a crime problem in South Africa. Not much difference. The wine world in SA is a little different as I understand it. Many of the white winery owners have made some preemptive strikes. Some have divided the land and set up black wineries. Some have made some of their employees partners. Others have raised the lot of their employees to the point where others clamor for employment or are held at bay by existing employees.

Killing all the natives (The Nowrthwest Indians), forcibly converting them to euro religions, stealing the land they lived on (which they did not believe COULD be owned) and banning their languages were not felonies??? But, this is not the forum to discuss reparations to Native Americans...

Avoiding the political side of this conversation, I'll suggest a couple of very nice pinotage wines from SA -- the 1997 from Fleur de Cap ($12 -- great value) and the 1999 Kanonkop ($24 -- a bit pricier, but one of the better ones you'll find, IMHO). Decant the latter for a very smooth, yet earthy pinot noir-like taste. Yum.

I'm boycotting Italian wines for the crimes of the Roman empire against my ancestors 2200 years ago. Nevermind that we came back later and burned & looted the town over and over on behalf of them sobbin' Sabines. I must also protest/boycott French wines for their treatment of the Heugonots and for Haiti in the 17th & 18th century. Who could drink German wines after WWII? Or Spanish wines after Franco? Africa has blood diamonds and wine, Oz and North and South America will always be just colonial oppressors, surely nothing good can ever come of 'em. There's always Greek wine...but then the Cypriots cry out. Algerian wine I think we can dismiss. Balkan wines...too many recent sins to list here.

After much introspection, agonizing, and self-doubt I've reached a decision that will more than likely send shock waves thru the Arizona wine industry. With trepidation, and a thorough examination of my roots (they be grey) I've decided to not drink anymore Arizona wines. Our states history is rife with the settlers coming in from east of the big M and taking the Ho-Ho-Kums' land , cattle and lovely daughters and exiling them back into the inhospitable desert. If they weren't extinct as a race because of this I personally would spear-head a reparations program in the current legislature. SHEESH!!WW

Speaking of politics, there's of course the huge UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Earth Summit II) going on right now in Johannesburg, SA, and you can bet your bottom rand that the SA wine industry will be all over the thousands of bureaucrats, politicians, environmentalists, media and NGOs gathered at the various receptions, etc. over the next week or so. Irrespective of political orientation, this certainly presents a great international marketing opportunity for SA wines right in their own back yard.

Perhaps Colin Powell will bring back a mixed case for the otherwise occupied W. Administration.